JOPLIN, Mo. – The William Woods University baseball team stayed alive in the American Midwest Conference Tournament as they defeated Lindenwood University-Belleville 11-2 in the first day of game three.
 
The win for the Owls keeps the alive in the AMC Tournament. WWU returns to action later tonight when they face the winner of the Columbia College and Missouri Baptist University contest that will take place around 1 p.m.
 
Game Flow
Opening in the contest, the Owls Frankie Valle led off the game with a double to deep right field. He scored when Brian Granton singled to shallow right center putting the Owls ahead, 2-0. The Owls kept the threat going when Tyler Cunningham doubled putting runners on the corners. The Owls loaded the bases when Patrick Dillon walked, however, they could not get another run in and led 2-0 after the top of the first.
 
Owls starter Ryan Furtney came out dealing in the first inning as he retired the first three batters on 11 pitches. He got a line out, and two ground outs.
 
William Woods grew the lead in the top of the second inning. With one out, Valle singled to left field putting a run on base. After the second out of the inning, Nolan Aherin singled to right putting runners on the corners. Cunningham followed with a single down the right field line scoring one. With a runner on third, Aherin came to score on a wild pitch putting the Owls ahead 4-0.
 
Like the bottom of the first inning, Furtney gave up his first hit of the game when Matt Crook singled. He got Dalton Turner to fly out before getting Eric Hansen tot ground into a double play to end the inning.
 
The Owls scored its fifth run of the game in the top of the fourth inning. Tyler Bracht and Valle reached on walk putting two runners on base. Granton sac bunted them over to second and third base. Aherin followed with a sac fly putting the Owls ahead 5-0.
 
Lindenwood-Belleville got a threat going in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs, Cullen Stockley singled and Crook reached on an Owls error and the Lynx had two runners on. However, Furtney got Dalton Turner to ground out to short to end the inning.
 
The lead grew to 7-0 in the top of the sixth inning. Bracht reached on an infield single and went to second on a Granton walk. After a groundout, advanced the runners a base, Cunningham came up and singled to left field scoring two and growing the Owls lead to 7-0.
 
The Lynx got to Furtney in the bottom of the sixth inning. After he got the first hitter to ground out, Ian Rodriquez was hit by a pitch. Cullen Stockley followed with a single putting two one. Crook double to right center scoring one for the Lynx. Turner drew a walk, which loaded the bases with one out. Hansen hit a sac fly scoring the second run of the game for the Lynx. Furtney ended the inning with a strikeout of CJ Norman.
 
After a scoreless top of the seventh inning, the Lynx got its rally going in the bottom of the seventh. Hunter Draffen singled and went to third on Jordan Evans single. With no outs, the Lynx had runners on the corners. Furtney settled down and got the next three hitters out ending the threat.
 
WWU answered back and Bracht singled to start the Owls off. Valle drew a walk putting two on and no outs. With Granton up, he laid down a sac bunt and advanced the runners, but he beat out the throw and on the throw to first, Bracht came into score. The Owls continued to score as they had runners on first and second and both runners advanced two bases on a failed pick off attempt. After seven and a half innings of play, the Owls lead 10-2.
 
Mitchel Brown came in out of the bullpen for the Owls and got Crook to line out. He gave up a double to Turner before getting the next two hitters out ending the inning.
 
The Owls added one in the top of the ninth inning taking an 11-2 lead against the Lynx. In the bottom of the frame, Brice Mueller came int for the Owls and got two straight outs before allowing a hit. After a hit, Mueller got Ian Rodriguez to ground out ending the game. WWU came away with an 11-2 victory.
 
By the Numbers
11 – The Owls scored 11 runs against the Lynx
4 – WWU pitching staff recorded four strikeouts
3 – The Owls had three extra base hits
6 – William Woods scored in six of the nine innings
14 – WWU had 14 hits in the contest
7 – Seven different Owls had a hit
3 – Nolan Aherin and Tyler Cunningham had three RBIs each
 
Starting Pitcher Lines
WWU – Ryan Furtney, 7 IP, 7H, 2R (2ER), 1BBs, 4Ks
LU-B – Tyler Morgan, 1.2 IP, 7H, 4R (4ER), 1BBs, 2Ks